North Coast Voices

Tuesday, 8 April 2008

Wouldn't be dead for quids in 2008

Just when you think life has shown you pretty much everything - a pregnant man, mice with human body parts attached, plants with animal genes, cats that glow in the dark, Malcolm Turnbull - along comes something which makes you realise that the world can grow even more bizarre.

The week PNC Financial Services Group awarded former Aussie PM John Howard a cash prize of $US50,000 for being the best little fascist on the Pacific street for 33 years.

For a real belly laugh the PNC media release is here.

You'll enjoy the Howard CV which shows the little man's ongoing attempt to rewrite history and the description of the neo-con Liberal Party during the Howard years as "centre/right".

North Coast Area Health Service 'extreme' cost-cutting

It seems every time I turn around North Coast Area Health Service is doing something which either horrifies, troubles or, in this case, simply grates a nerve.

The Northern Star carried this report yesterday.

Dr Pezzutti's comments come as staff at Ballina Hospital complained of extreme cost-cutting measures by the area health service.

One staff member, who asked not to be identified, said the health service had replaced sanitary bins in the women's toilets with brown paper bags as a cost-cutting measure. A few years ago the service got rid of the hospital's water cooler, also to save money.

A spokesman for the health service confirmed sanitary bins were being removed from all health service facilities because sanitary waste was regarded as general waste and, therefore, best deposited into waste bins to minimise potential contact with body fluids.

The spokesman confirmed the move involved 'potential cost savings that could be directed into clinical care', but declined to say how much money would be saved or what clinical services the funding would be directed to.

Doctors for the Environment (Australia) April 2008 climate change & health report released

Climate Change Health Check 2020 was released yesterday.

Not surprisingly this report predicts that within 12 years Australian doctors (particularly doctors in rural, regional and coastal areas) will be treating more people for heat stress, heat-related illnesses, extreme weather event physical trauma, allergic responses, respiratory problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, food poisoning, as well as Ross River and Dengue fevers, due to the impact of climate change.

Full report here.

Monday, 7 April 2008

A Cecil B. de Mille memory

I have to ask. At the end did they find anything in Charlton Heston's "cold dead hands"?

Do property developers and the financiers own the Iemma Government?

There is no getting away from the fact that at local government level there is often a unhealthy relationship between developers and individuals councillors or some council staff.
Now that NSW Planning Minister Frank Sartor has hijacked basic development planning processes and left communities and residents out in the cold, Morris Iemma needs to answer questions regarding exactly what level of 'favoured status' may be brought by property and financial corporations making sizeable political donations to the NSW Labor Party.
The NSW Liberals also need to explain why they have never vigorously pursued the issue of whether developer donations are an appropriate part of the political system at all.

Here are the 149 separate donations made by the property sector across the political spectrum in the 2006-07 financial year according to Democracy4sale.
Go to that Greens website if you wish to explore donations by those banking institutions which are also developers in their own right.

Year	Party	Category	Donor	Amount

2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Anson City Developments (Aust) Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Austcorp Group Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Australand Holdings Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Australand Holdings Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Australian Portable Buildings Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Babcock & Brown	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Babcock & Brown	$20,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Babcock & Brown	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Babcock & Brown Australia Pty Ltd	$33,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Babcock & Brown Australia Pty Ltd	$20,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Bilfinger Berger Concessions	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Boral Limited	$19,250
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Bradcorp Holdings Pty Ltd	$30,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Bradcorp Holdings Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Mr Peter Brennan	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Bradcorp Holdings Pty Ltd	$33,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Brighton Australia Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Buildev Development (NSW) Pty Ltd	$14,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Buildev Development (Qld) Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Challenge Property Investments	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Cheebrook Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Cienna Group	$33,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Dandaloo Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Dyldam Developments Pty Ltd	$14,083
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	EG Property Group	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	EG Property Group	$22,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	FKP Property Group	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Frasers Greencliff Developments Pty Ltd	$25,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Glen Alpine Properties	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Grant Samuel Property Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Greenfields Development Corp Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Grocon Pty Ltd	$27,500
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Grocon Pty Ltd	$55,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Hardie Holdings Pty Ltd	$20,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Marbal Pty Ltd	$100,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Hiken Group	$19,250
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Holdmark Developments Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Hunter Land Pty Limited	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Hunter Land Group of Companies	$50,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Hunter Land Pty Limited	$50,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Jacfin Pty Ltd	$100,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Jacfin Pty Ltd	$100,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Johnson Property Group	$16,200
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Johnson Property Group	$16,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Berkeley Road Developments Pty Ltd	$25,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Johnson Property Group Pty Limited	$25,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Johnson Property Group	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Kingold Group	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Kingold Group	$100,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Leda Holdings Pty Limited	$25,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Leighton Holdings Ltd	$24,750
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Leighton Holdings Limited	$20,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Mantle Group	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Marsim Management Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Medich Property Group Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Medich Property Group Pty Ltd	$13,200
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Medich Property Group Pty Ltd	$12,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Medich Property Group Pty Ltd	$27,500
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Medich Property Group Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Memo Corporation Australia Pty Ltd	$19,250
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Memo Corporation Australia Pty Ltd	$30,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Meriton Premier Apartments	$100,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Mulpha Australia Ltd	$22,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Multiplex Developments Aust. Pty Ltd	$33,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Narellan Town Centre	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Narellan Town Centre	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Omaya Holdings Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Payce Consolidated	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Payce Consolidated	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Payce Properties Pty Ltd	$75,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Paynter Dixon Construction Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Plenary Group	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Property Council of Australia	$38,500
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Rocky Bottom Creek Pty Ltd	$25,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Rosecorp Pty Ltd	$27,500
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Rosecorp Pty Ltd	$27,500
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Rosecorp Pty Ltd	$27,500
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Rosecorp Pty Ltd	$27,500
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Southern Cross Constructions	$25,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	St Hilliers Pty Ltd	$19,250
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	STC Architects and Kendall Resources Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Stockland Trust Group	$19,250
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Stockland Development Pty Ltd	$20,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Sydney Airports Corporation Limited	$19,250
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Terrace Tower Group	$40,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Terrace Tower Group	$33,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Terrace Tower Holdings Pty Limited	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	The GEO Group Australia P/L	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	The Lewis Land Group of Companies	$30,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	The Village Building Co Limited	$33,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Thiess Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Tiffany Developments Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Toga Group of Companies	$20,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Toga Group of Companies	$17,500
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Transfield Holdings Pty Ltd	$30,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Transfield Holdings Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Transfield Services Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Transfield Services Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	United Group Limited	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	United Group Limited	$15,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Vaste Developments Pty Ltd	$12,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Westfield Capital Corporation Limited	$75,000
2006/07	Labor NSW	Property	Whitehorse Constructions Pty Ltd	$11,000

				$2,565,733


2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Almona Pty Ltd T/as Parklea Markets	$75,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Austcorp Group Limited	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Babcock & Brown	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Boral Ltd	$19,250
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Buildev Development Pty Ltd	$75,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Colliers International	$20,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Exceland Property Group	$22,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Freeway Land Company Pty Ltd	$50,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Greenfriars Pty Limited	$30,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Grocon Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Hardie Holdings Pty Ltd	$30,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Henroth Investments Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Hunter Land Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Berkeley Road Developments Pty Ltd	$25,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Johnson Property Group Pty Ltd	$25,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Kendall Grange Properties Pty Ltd	$25,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Leda Holdings Pty Limited	$25,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Leighton Holdings Limited	$33,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	LKT Holdings Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Mambare Pty Ltd	$79,684
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Manolas Properties Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Mars Australian Developments	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	McCloy Group Pty Limited	$15,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Memo Corporation Australia Pty Ltd	$77,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Meriton Premier Apartments	$13,200
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Meriton Premier Apartments	$50,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Multiplex Limited	$18,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Payce Consolidated Ltd	$22,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Raine & Horne Pty Ltd	$15,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Rinker Australia Pty Ltd	$12,500
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Rocky Bottom Creek Pty Ltd	$25,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	St Hilliers Property Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Stockland	$20,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Sydney Airport Corporation Limited	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Terrace Tower Holdings Pty Ltd	$40,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Terrace Tower Holdings Pty Ltd	$22,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	The Geo Group Australia Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	The Village Building Co Limited	$25,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Thiess Pty Ltd	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Toga Hospitality Group	$38,500
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Transfield Group Entities	$20,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Transfield Services (Australia) P/L	$11,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	United Group Limited	$25,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Walker Corporation Pty Limited	$50,000
2006/07	Liberal NSW	Property	Westfield Capital Corporation Limited	$75,000

				$1,244,134


2006/07	National NSW	Property	Servcorp Ltd	$11,000


				Total: $3,820,867

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Moggy Musings

Hi! My name is Boy. I'm a male bi-coloured tabby cat. Ever since I discovered that Malcolm Turnbull's dogs were allowed to blog, I have been pestering Clarencegirl to allow me a small space on North Coast Voices.

A false flag musing: I have noticed one particular voice on Facebook which is Pollyanna-positive on the subject of the Port of Yamba becoming a designated cruise ship destination. What this gentleman doesn’t disclose is that, as a principal of Middle Star Pty Ltd, he could be thought to have a potential pecuniary interest due to the fact that this corporation (which has had an office in Grafton since 2012) provides consultancy services and tourism business development services.

A religion & local government musing: On 11 October 2017 Clarence Valley Council has the Church of Jesus Christ Development Fund Inc in Sutherland Local Court No. 6 for a small claims hearing. It would appear that there may be a little issue in rendering unto Caesar. On 19 September 2017 an ordained minister of a religion (which was named by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in relation to 40 instances of historical child sexual abuse on the NSW North Coast) read the Opening Prayer at Council’s ordinary monthly meeting. Earlier in the year an ordained minister (from a church network alleged to have supported an overseas orphanage closed because of child abuse claims in 2013) read the Opening Prayer and an ordained minister (belonging to yet another church network accused of ignoring child sexual abuse in the US and racism in South Africa) read the Opening Prayer at yet another ordinary monthly meeting. Nice one councillors - you are covering yourselves with glory!

An investigative musing: Newcastle Herald, 12 August 2017: The state’s corruption watchdog has been asked to investigate the finances of the Awabakal Aboriginal Local Land Council, less than 12 months after the troubled organisation was placed into administration by the state government. The Newcastle Herald understands accounting firm PKF Lawler made the decision to refer the land council to the Independent Commission Against Corruption after discovering a number of irregularities during an audit of its financial statements. The results of the audit were recently presented to a meeting of Awabakal members. Administrator Terry Lawler did not respond when contacted by the Herald and a PKF Lawler spokesperson said it was unable to comment on the matter. Given the intricate web of company relationships that existed with at least one former board member it is not outside the realms of possibility that, if ICAC accepts this referral, then United Land Councils Limited (registered New Zealand) and United First Peoples Syndications Pty Ltd(registered Australia) might be interviewed. North Coast Voices readers will remember that on 15 August 2015 representatives of these two companied gave evidence before NSW Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 6 INQUIRY INTO CROWN LAND. This evidence included advocating for a Yamba mega port.

A Nationals musing: Word around the traps is that NSW Nats MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has been talking up the notion of cruise ships visiting the Clarence River estuary. Fair dinkum! That man can be guaranteed to run with any bad idea put to him. I'm sure one or more cruise ships moored in the main navigation channel on a regular basis for one, two or three days is something other regular river users will really welcome. *pause for appreciation of irony* The draft of the smallest of the smaller cruise vessels is 3 metres and it would only stay safely afloat in that channel. Even the Yamba-Iluka ferry has been known to get momentarily stuck in silt/sand from time to time in Yamba Bay and even a very small cruise ship wouldn't be able to safely enter and exit Iluka Bay. You can bet your bottom dollar operators of cruise lines would soon be calling for dredging at the approach to the river mouth - and you know how well that goes down with the local residents.

A local councils musing: Which Northern Rivers council is on a low-key NSW Office of Local Government watch list courtesy of feet dragging by a past general manager?

A serial pest musing: I'm sure the Clarence Valley was thrilled to find that a well-known fantasist is active once again in the wee small hours of the morning treading a well-worn path of accusations involving police, local business owners and others.

An investigative musing: Which NSW North Coast council is batting to have the longest running code of conduct complaint investigation on record?

A fun fact musing: An estimated 24,000 whales migrated along the NSW coastline in 2016 according to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the migration period is getting longer.

A which bank? musing: Despite a net profit last year of $9,227 million the Commonwealth Bank still insists on paying below Centrelink deeming rates interest on money held in Pensioner Security Accounts. One local wag says he’s waiting for the first bill from the bank charging him for the privilege of keeping his pension dollars at that bank.

A Daily Examiner musing: Just when you thought this newspaper could sink no lower under News Corp management, it continues to give column space to Andrew Bolt.

A thought to ponder musing: In case of bushfire or flood - do you have an emergency evacuation plan for the family pet?

An adoption musing: Every week on the NSW North Coast a number of cats and dogs find themselves without a home. If you want to do your bit and give one bundle of joy a new family, contact Happy Paws on 0419 404 766 or your local council pound.

North Coast Voices

Tuesday, 8 April 2008

Wouldn't be dead for quids in 2008

North Coast Area Health Service 'extreme' cost-cutting

Doctors for the Environment (Australia) April 2008 climate change & health report released

Monday, 7 April 2008

A Cecil B. de Mille memory

Do property developers and the financiers own the Iemma Government?

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